Brachial-Ankle Pulse Wave Velocity Versus Its Stiffness Index β-Transformed Value as Risk Marker for Cardiovascular Disease.

Background The difference in the predictive ability of the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and its stiffness index β-transformed value (β-baPWV, ie, baPWV adjusted for the pulse pressure) for the development of pathophysiological abnormalities related to cardiovascular disease or future occurrence of cardiovascular disease was examined. Methods and Results In study 1, a 7-year prospective observational study in cohorts of 3274 men and 3490 men, the area under the curve in the receiver operator characteristic curve analysis was higher for baPWV than for β-baPWV for predicting the development of hypertension (0.73, 95% CI=0.

Reintroducing testosterone in the db/db mouse partially restores normal glucose metabolism and insulin resistance in a leptin-independent manner.

Background: Testosterone signals through the androgen receptor (AR) and AR knockout mice develop obesity, suggesting a functional association between AR and leptin signaling. Furthermore, physiological blood concentrations of testosterone have been found to inhibit the development of arteriosclerosis, obesity and diabetes. However, these findings have not been verified by testosterone replacement in animal models and whether or not testosterone acts directly by activating AR to enhance leptin signaling, or indirectly by its conversion into estrogen remains unclear.

Effects of Oral Antidiabetic Drugs on Changes in the Liver-to-Spleen Ratio on Computed Tomography and Inflammatory Biomarkers in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Purpose: Oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) such as pioglitazone and metformin have beneficial effects in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. We prospectively assessed the effects of OADs on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in 886 men with type 2 diabetes mellitus and in a murine model of NAFLD.

Methods: Patients were randomized to receive pioglitazone, metformin, sitagliptin, or a non-OAD (control) for 6 months.